Slipknot Plan US Tour

Having completed a series of European festival appearances, Taylor and his bandmates were visibly moved at the last of these when Sonisphere UK honoured Gray with a two minute silence, and in the aftermath Taylor told Artisan News that he was still coming to terms with Slipknot without his long term friend. Read what he had to say

Metallica Megadeth Supergroup With A Mission

(Rock News Desk) Dave Mustaine says his hoped-for collaboration with former bandmates from Metallica will probably be a charity project – but isn't likely to be a long-term band commitment.

The Megadeth mainman, who was fired from Metallica in 1983, recently revealed he'd asked James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich to tie up with him and his bassist David Ellefson. And although the idea hasn't been actioned, no one has refused to consider it.

"Metallica was my band and Megadeth was the next logical step. But if an opportunity came for us to play again…," Mustaine tells The Phoenix. "I think James and I and Lars and David should do a record together and see what happens. Not as a band or anything like that, but something to donate the money to charity." more on this story

Jani Lane's Tragic 911 Call Online

(Rock News Desk) Hotel staff who found Jani Lane's body refused to check to see if he was still alive, a recording of an emergency call has revealed.

And when the 911 operator passed on a dead body report to another department, the second operator wasn't interested unless Lane was definitely dead.

The ex-Warrant singer was discovered in a California hotel room on August 11 with a bottle of vodka and prescription pills. He'd split from his wife a few weeks previously, and a note saying "I am Jani Lane" with a friend's phone number was in his pocket.

Now TMZ has released a recording of the call placed by the hotel receptionist to emergency services. Read the transcript here

Free Anthrax Show- The Human Abstract Lose Their Singer?- Hear New Ryan Adams- Mac is Not Back- Monkees Star Battled Cancer- Alice Cooper Nightmare Special Online- more

Anthrax will be playing a free show at the 'Metal Masters Clinic' Sept. 12 at the Best Buy Theater in New York's Time Square which will also be webcast, according to Loudwire. The event is set to also feature Frank Bello of Anthrax, David Ellefson of Megadeth, Kerry King of Slayer and drummer Mike Portnoy schooling metal fans during the free clinic more

(Lambgoat) The Human Abstract and vocalist Travis Richter have apparently parted ways, though nothing official has been announced publicly via either party. According to Metal Insider, San Diego singer Ryan Devlin (Corelia) will be filling in for the time being. more

(Billboard) Ryan Adams is now offering up the first taste of his forthcoming album in the form of a mid-tempo acoustic jam, "Lucky Now." Out Oct. 11 in North America. Listen here

(Classic Rock) Fleetwood Mac have no definite commitments for the future. Talking to Classic Rock, guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham denied reports that the band are currently working on a new album. more

(The 1st Five) Deafheaven are doing a West Coast tour this September. They will have Lake of Blood and DNF along as support. more

(Jam!) Monkees star Peter Tork has revealed he's a cancer survivor after quietly battling the disease in 2008. Tork tells the Globe, "It went right from my tongue down my throat. They cut from my lower lip into my throat and opened my jawbone to get to the part of the neck and throat, where the tumour was located." more

(Classic Rock) Monster Magnet are to do two special shows in the UK during November. What makes these gigs special is that the band will be performing the whole of the Dopes To Infinity album. more

(Loudwire) Social Distortion have unveiled dates for a fall U.S. tour. The itinerary includes previously announced shows opening for Foo Fighters. more

(BW&BK) A new radio show focusing on Alice Cooper's upcoming Welcome 2 My Nightmare album is streaming online. During the show, Cooper talks to host Gary Moore candidly about why a sequel made sense, the invention of the Alice character, the album's special guests (including KE$HA), and much more. Seven songs from Welcome 2 My Nightmare are played during the show. more

(Lambgoat) Ringworm will headline a four-week U.S. tour this fall. Direct support will be provided by The Greenery. more

(bmn) Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford turns 60 today (August 25). The singer and his bandmates celebrated "with a big 'Harley' cake plus a few gifts and cards when [they] were all together in Berlin," according to a posting on the group's official web site. more

Culture Brats have posted an interview with The Human League's Philip Oakey, in which he spoke about their new album Credo, the band's early videos and MTV, touring, remaining a force for over thirty years, and how the US may have the wrong impression of The Human League. Check it out here

(PNO) Alesana will release their new album A Place Where the Sun is Silent on October 18, 2011 via Epitaph more

(bmn) Abstract Sounds Books has set a September 26 U.K. release date for Rush's "Changing Hemispheres", a 116-page hardcover book and four-DVD set. more

Classic Aerosmith Going Digital

(hennemusic) Classic Aerosmith is finally coming to iTunes. The New York Post reports iTunes has signed a groundbreaking deal to add never-before-released digital versions of Aerosmith's classic music to the service.

Apple and Columbia Records are expected to announce today that Aerosmith recordings between 1973 and 1987 will be available on iTunes on September 6.

Aerosmith, fronted by lead singer Steven Tyler, has had its newer works available on iTunes but its management had never been able to come to a deal over its classic recordings, which include "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion," among many others recorded over two decades. more on this story

Dio Cancer Fund Gala

(hennemusic) Ronnie James Dio's legacy lives on in many ways, including the "Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund." Established by Ronnie's wife/manager Wendy Dio, the fund is committed to the early detection and prevention of cancer through facilitating access to medical screening and medical educational programs. The fund supports programs designed to integrate medical knowledge into local communities such as cancer screening programs, education on nutrition in cancer prevention, exercise and overall wellness.

To help support the cause, the first annual "Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund Gala" will be held on Tuesday, November 1 at the world-famous Playboy Mansion.

The event will include a gourmet dinner, a live superstar band, an incredible silent auction and the Playmates will be giving tours of the grounds, including the grotto. Single tickets are $750.00 and tables of 10 are $10,000. more on this story

Big Brother Vs Gibson: Feds Raid Guitar Maker's Headquarters

(Rock News Desk) Gibson Guitar Corporation's headquarters in Tennessee have been raided by government officials for the second time in two years.

The company's head office and a factory in Nashville, plus another factory in Memphis, were shut down by officers of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Customs and Border Protection.

The reason behind the raids has not been confirmed. "The operation stems from a Texas case. We can't get into specifics right now because this is an ongoing investigation," says Special Agent Nicholas Chavez. "No arrests have been made." more on this story

Manchester Orchestra Map Out Fall Tour

Manchester Orchestra plan to hit the road this fall for a headlining tour that will feature support from White Denim, The Dear Hunter, and Little Hurricane on select dates.

Manchester Orchestra will be touring in support of their third album, Simple Math (Columbia Records/Favorite Gentlemen Recordings).

The tour is set to kick off in Houston, TX on October 21st and run through November 22nd in Orlando, FL. more on this story

Dream Theater Have More Musical Freedom Without Mike Portnoy

(Rock News Desk) Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess says the band feel free to express themselves musically now Mike Portnoy is no longer part of the outfit. And he describes the drummer as "the Dream Theater police."

The band are poised to release A Dramatic Turn of Events, their first album after self-confessed control freak Portnoy suddenly quit the band last year. He soon asked to rejoin, but new drummer Mike Mangini had been given the job by then.

Rudess also says the band decided not to bring in a producer for the album and instead leave those duties to guitarist John Petrucci, who'd co-produced with Portnoy in the past. more on this story

Blue October Hit Career High

Blue October has hit a career high after landed their highest Billboard chart debut of their career with their latest album, Any Man In America.

The album, which was released on lead singer Justin Furstenfeld's own UP/DOWN Records, debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top 200, was the second-highest debut on the chart this week and also landed at #2 on the Independent Album Chart, selling over 26,000 copies.

Furstenfeld had this to say about the band's achievement: "I am in awe and beside myself with a big sigh and the most amazing crows flying in my stomach. The fact that when I started UP/DOWN Records, it was to prove that the listener can still be touched by artists with something to say, artists who are not afraid to stand up and remind listeners that they can still feel music like a first kiss. Making music that is real is what both Blue October and UP/DOWN records is all about. I can't thank everyone enough who has supported us and helped us achieve this milestone for the band." more on this story

Marilyn Manson Terrified By Blood

(Rock News Desk) Marilyn Manson is terrified of the sight of blood, says Dave Navarro. And he once liked to use the knowledge to freak the shock-rocker out by covering mirrors with his own blood.

The Jane's Addiction guitarist tells Q: "I don't know if this is funny – but when I was using intravenous drugs, I used to go into his bathroom and spray his mirror with blood from my syringe.

"It freaked him out. He would get his assistant to put on rubber gloves and clean it up. more on this story

Kaura Counting Down To Album Release With Free Songs

(Adrenaline) Kaura will be giving away one new song from their new full-length CD/DVD, That Which Defines Us, each week up until the release date of September 20th.

A new track can be downloaded weekly at www.kaura.bandcamp.com, where the new album can also be streamed in its entirety now.

Produced by singer Malcolm Guess, That Which Defines Us is a testament of dedication, taking over two years to record with the assistance of rock luminaries such as Sylvia Massey (Tool, System of a Down, Danzig), Ken Andrews (Failure, A Perfect Circle) and Michael Romanowski (Dredg). Central to the album's sound were instruments that the band collected on their travels to India, Thailand, Bali, Cambodia, Laos, and Nepal. more on this story

The Who's Pete Townshend Suffers Writer's Block

(Gibson) The Who's Pete Townshend is talking about his struggles to write songs that match his classics from the past.

He told the BBC: "Today I just wish that when I walk down to my studio I could sit at my piano and be able to organize my thoughts, pull out one of the sheets of lyrics I have got in front of me, finish the song, record it and put it out on an album.

"But it's not how life is today. I don't know why. When I stray into familiar territory I feel uneasy. I feel I am not breaking new ground. And that's bad. I am expected to break new ground." more on this story

George Harrison Documentary Preview

(Gibson) The trailer for Martin Scorsese's George Harrison documentary has been released. Living in the Material World will be broadcast over two nights by HBO on October 5 and 6.

Scorsese says of Harrison's importance: "George was making spiritually awake music. We all heard and felt it – and I think that was the reason he came to occupy a very special place in our lives."

The documentary looks at George Harrison's life from humble beginnings in Liverpool to global superstardom and includes interviews with many of Harrison's closest friends. The film also features plenty of never-seen-before footage. Check out the trailer here

ZZ Top Legend Compares Songwriting To Porn

(RockAAA) ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons has compared penning a hit song to pornography. In an interview with Le High Valley Live Gibbons says it is hard to put into words the process of identifying what makes a song a hit.

He said: "It's like Supreme Court Justice Stewart said about the definition of pornography, 'I can't describe it but I know it when I see it.

The comparison is perhaps not all that surprising considering the bearded shredder helped write some famous musical homage's to women and their lady bits with 'Tush,' 'Pearl Necklace,' 'Gimme All Your Loving' and 'Hot Leg's. more on this story

Animals As Leaders Plan Fall Album Release

(Prosthetic) Prosthetic Records plans to release Animals As Leaders' sophomore "Weightless" this fall.

The group, who wrapped up their inaugural U.S. headlining tour earlier this month, recently kicked off their first-ever European tour, which saw them as direct support to the Deftones last night in London.

They will kick off an extensive North American tour alongside Between The Buried And Me on Oct. 27. more on this story

Bumblefoot Had A Big Battle of Views With Guns N' Roses

(Rock News Desk) Ron Bumblefoot Thal joined Guns N' Roses just a month before the band headed out on tour after spending over a year locked in a "big battle of views" with Axl Rose and co. But the guitarist says he's been delighted with the half-decade he's spent in GnR – even though the first few shows were stressful because he didn't know the band's new songs.

Bumblefoot tells Gibson: "Joe Satriani landed me the gig. He shot me an email and said they were looking for somebody and he'd recommended me, so if someone got in touch it wasn't an odd joke.

By the time both parties agreed to a trial there were only a few weeks remaining before GnR headed out on their 2006 world tour. Bumblefoot says: "After a big battle of views we decided to give it a shot. We hadn't spoken for about a year and a half. We got together maybe seven times, then toured for a year and a half. more on this story

The Felice Brothers Fall Tour Plans

The Felice Brothers will be hitting the road this fall for the 'Celebration, Tourida' tour.

The eight and a half week long national US tour that launches September 21st in Pittsburgh, PA and runs through November 19th in South Burlington, VT and is in support of of their fourth full-length album Celebration, Florida.

The majority of the dates are headlining shows, save September 21st supporting The Dodos; September 22nd supporting Okkervil River in Chicago, IL; November 10th supporting Dr. Dog in New Orleans, LA; and November 18th supporting Deer Tick in Boston, MA. more on this story

1349 Limited Edition Box Set

1349 have announced a reissue of Demonoir as a limited edition box set as part of the Indie Recordings Norwegian Collector's Edition Series. The box is hand numbered and limited to 1000 copies worldwide.

The box set will be released in North America on Friday, November 25th, exclusively through FYE's "Black Friday" promotion.

It contains 7 bonus tracks, including an unreleased track that did not appear on the expanded edition or the limited edition, 12 page booklet, poster, guitar pick, a patch and autographed photo card. more on this story

Paul McCartney Ballet Coming

(42 West) Paul McCartney has announced an October 4th release of Ocean's Kingdom, commissioned by the New York City Ballet.

Ocean's Kingdom is the first time Paul has written an original orchestral score or any kind of music for dance and is the result of a collaboration between Paul and New York City Ballet's Master in Chief Peter Martins, who have worked together to present the world premiere of a new ballet for the company's 2011/2012 season this September.

The premiere of the ballet Ocean's Kingdom will take place at NYCB's Fall Gala on Thursday 22nd September 2011 while the release of the orchestral score will follow on October 4th, available digitally, on CD and on vinyl. It was recorded in June in London. more on this story

Kid Rock To Get Cocky Again?

(RockAAA) Kid Rock is considering ditching the country feel of his most recent record for a return to his rap-rock roots. His most recent effort, 'Born Free,' was released in November but Kid Rock is hoping to wrap up it's successor by next summer and he is plotting a return to the sound and feel of his 2001 hit record 'Cocky.'

In an interview with Southtown Star Rock explains: "I think 'Born Free' was kind of a transitional record with (producer) Rick Rubin and going into the rootsy, American blues-rock 'n' roll vibe.

"I'd kind of like to go back to something like maybe a 'Cocky' feel," Kid Rock said, alluding to his 2001 album that was heavy on Southern rock." more on this story

Watch Alice Cooper's I'll Bite Your Face Off Video

The first new video from Alice Cooper's upcoming album, "Welcome 2 My Nightmare," has arrived. "I'll Bite Your Face Off" is the album's first single, released prior to the project's September 13 street date.

"This is my tip-of-the-hat to early Rolling Stones," Alice tells NME. "Like in 1964/65, when their songs were very Chuck Berry-orientated. They just feel so good, in the pocket. This song was begging to be in the live show. We've done it in four different continents now and no one had ever heard it. By the second chorus, the whole audience is singing 'I'll Bite Your Face Off.' It's the perfect little three-minute hit single."

"I don't mind showing people where I get my songs from," added Cooper. "I can guarantee there were times when major acts took an Alice Cooper song and said 'we want it to sound like that.' Because I've heard it and recognized it. I see it as a compliment." Check out the video here

A Shoreline Dream Set New Album Release

(Filter) A Shoreline Dream have set an September 20th release date for their sophomore album, Losing Them All To This Time.

The new album release comes exactly five years after their first album, titled, Avoiding the Consequences.

Two years in the making, Losing Them All To This Time, is a collection of expansive songs based on moments in time and expresses the happy medium between time passing and life's depth. As stated by lead singer, Ryan Policky, " We all have our own take on it, life that is, but we all eventually deal with a similar outcome. It's nothing new, and we aren't saying we somehow know the answer above all else, but it's always good to take a step back, reflect on it, and translate it into some sort of art." more on this story

B-52s First Official Live Album Coming

(Kayos) Eagle Rock will release the first official The B-52s live album, With The Wild Crowd! – Live In Athens, GA, on October 11.

With The Wild Crowd! was recorded in the B-52s' hometown of Athens, Georgia in February 2011 at a show that commemorated the band's 34th anniversary of their first-ever live show on Valentine's Day 1977.

Wig-wearing, boa-draped, glitter-covered fans came from near and far to celebrate this historic event, which saw the band deliver a sizzling 90 minute set that turned Athens' Classic Center into a cosmic dancehall. more on this story

Buddy Holly To Finally Get Walk of Fame Star

(Gibson) Twenty-five years after inducted into Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holly is to get his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

According to Amarillo.com, the ceremony for Holly will take place at 11:30 a.m. PDT on September 7, the 75th anniversary of his birth.

The Los Angeles City Council has agreed to designate that day "Buddy Holly Day in the City of Los Angeles." Phil Everly and Peter Asher will speak at the ceremony. Everly was good friends with Holly and a pallbearer at his funeral in Lubbock, Texas. more on this story

Jeremy Piven Dreams of Playing The Who's Keith Moon

(Gibson) Now that his HBO series, Entourage, is in its final season, actor Jeremy Piven has to decide what's next. Or, as it happens – Who's next.

The Emmy winner said that his dream role would be to play Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who. Moon died in 1978, and would have turned 65 on Tuesday.

"Remember the drummer from The Who, Keith Moon? I'd love to play the Keith Moon story," Piven told Fox News, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. more on this story

Ozzy Osbourne Band Members Celebrate Tour Wrap-up on OzTV

(hennemusic) OzTV caught up with Ozzy Osbourne and the guys at their final stop on the Scream 2011 tour, which happened in Denmark on August 11, 2011 at Smukfest.

"I've been touring now over forty years, on and off," reminisces Ozzy, "and this has to be up there with one of the best, fun, great tours of my career."

All of the guys in Ozzy's band take turns sharing their thoughts about the tour and the experience of being on the road with the rock icon. Check out the video here

Watch Porcupine Tree's Gavin Harrison Late Night Drum Solo Week Performance

(hennemusic) After Tony Royster Jr. kicked things off on Monday, Drum Solo Week II continued Tuesday on The Late Show with David Letterman as the program welcomed Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree.

The second round of spotlight on drummers follows the first series in June, when drummers Anton Fig, Sheila E., jazz legend Roy Haynes and Rush's Neil Peart took center stage. Up next is former Police drummer Stewart Copeland on Wednesday, and then the week wraps up with jazz drummer Dennis Chambers on Thursday.

A British drummer and percussionist, Gavin Harrison is best known for playing with the Porcupine Tree, which he joined in 2002. As of 2011, he also plays with the band King Crimson. Check out Gavin's performance here

Rod Stewart Goes Vegas

(PR) Rod Stewart returned to Las Vegas to kick off his new residency at Caesars Palace, titled, Rod Stewart: The Hits.

Stewart arrived at the Garden of the Gods pool oasis in a classic car as a group of synchronized swimmers kicked into an homage performance to his song "Hot Legs."

Stewart then hit the Colosseum's stage, where he and his 13-piece band tore into a non-stop set list which mixed the big hits like "Maggie May," "Rhythm of My Heart," "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?," "Forever Young," "Tonight's the Night" and "You Wear it Well" with some sizzling covers, rarely performed including "The Killing of Georgie (Part 1 & 2)," "Broken Arrow" and "Infatuation," as well as the Vegas-appropriate "Some Guys Have All The Luck" and "Shake Your Money Maker" to the delight of a sold-out audience of his fans. more on this story

Joe Strummer Letter Praises Bruce Springsteen

(rock nyc) In the wake of celebrating Joe Strummer's birthday on Sunday rock nyc came upon a letter written by the late great musician as he was asked for his opinion about Bruce Springsteen in 1997 for a TV project ('Bruce Springsteen: A Secret History', broadcasted in 1998 on British television).

Strummer sent this fax to Mark Hagen with the heartfelt and funny declaration: 'Bruce is great … if you don't agree with that, you're a pretentious Martian from Venus!' And when Emily Eavis, the Glastonbury festival organizer, wanted to persuade Springsteen to appear, she got a little help from Strummer: 'I did an eight-page document about the festival for Bruce with quotes from Joe included, I've never done anything like that for anyone before. It's going to be an amazing couple of hours.'

Springsteen of course returned the compliment, saying during a 2008 concert that Strummer was 'one of the greatest rockers of all time', and doing his version of 'I Fought the Law',… In 2009, he covered 'Coma Girl' at the Glastonbury festival, and has also played 'London Calling' numerous times…. more on this story

Singled Out: Brute Forcz's Live For Speed

Today Jammer from Brute Forcz tells us about "Live For Speed" from their brand new self titled release. Here is the story:

At the same time my brother and I were getting into the professional wrestling business, we were also involved in stock car racing at the local short tracks in Georgia, where we are both from.

Both wrestling and racing are very similar, they are fast paced, and full of high speed action.

When it came time for the band to come up with new songs, we wanted to combine the two sports of racing and wrestling together, along with our love for heavy metal music.

The music has always been our first love and we play fast, hard, in your face and have the need for speed, just like music, racing and wrestling also combine.

We dedicate this song in concert every night to all of the heavy metal fans who like it one way, fast and hard !!

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!